The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1887-02-18

In thar she said musingly; "hit's purer an
brighter then cnnything else on arth. 'Puri'
fed or by fire. the Book says. My God'
Thou has sent Thy fires upon me ez sweep
in flood. How they purified mo ez Thou
wishti How hit shines an CLOVIS away IN
thar! Hit seems so deep sometimes tibet
kin sl,cercely SEQ the eend. A million times
purcr an brighter IL the light thct shines
from tho throne Nv God. They're lookin' at
tibet now while still tarry hcah. Husband
an son, when will go to YET When will
finish the work tho Lord hez fur me ter dol
When will tho day Nv my freedom comet
Maybe tomorrer-maybe to-morrcr"
She began singing softly:
An when shadder falls acrost the winder
OF my room,
When am workin my app'inted task,
I lift my head to watch tho door an ask
II He Is como;
An the angel answers sweetly
In my home:
"Only few more shadders
An lie will come"
"Aunt Debby, honey" said Fortner, rous-
ing himself from O nap in his chair, "thet
thar leads burnin'. Better run yer bullets. "
She started as il walked from O trance,
pressed her slender, thin hands to her eyes for
an instant, and then taking the molds up in
her left hand she raised the ladle with her
right. filed them from it, knocked the nodded
balls out by a tap OH the floor and repeated
tho process with such dexterous quickness
that she had mado fifty bullets before Harry
realized that she was fairly at work.
aye men he'd better lay down an git some
Sleep" she said, as she replaced the mods and
ladle on the shelf. "Ye'u need all yer strength
to-morrer. I'll neck these bullets an git to-
gether some vittlcs fur tho trip, an then III
Law down while. We orter start airly-
soon arter daybreak."
They did start early the next morning,
with Aunt Debby riding upon the roads that
wound around the mountain sides, while
Fortner led the men through the shorter by
paths.
Noon had passed some hours, and yet they
had come across no signs Of wagons. Aunt
Debby was riding along road cut out of the
rocks about midway up the mountain 10
her right the descent was almost perpendicu-
lar for 100 feet or more to where creek ran
at the bottom of q cliff. To her left the hill
rose up steeply to great height Fortner
and the others were threading their way
through the brush some distance above her,
and keeping her in view as well as the bushes
and trees would permit. Suddenly there
arose from the road the sound of galloping
hoofs. Leaning forward to get better
view Fortner and the others saw Aunt Debby
galloping back, waving the red handker-
chief which was her signal Of the approach
of a wagon. After her galloped Con-
federate sergeant with revolver drawn,
shouting to her to stop or he would fire. Abe
Bolton stepped forward impulsively to shoot
the Confederate, missed his footing and slid
down the hill, landing in the road with such
force as to jar into unintelligibility bitter
imprecation he had constructed for the
emergency. He struck in front Of the SER
geant, who instantly fired at Aunt Debby's
mare sending a bullet through the faithful
animal which sank to her knees and threw
her rider to the ground. Without waiting to
rise, and he was not certain that he could,
Abe fired his musket, but missed both man
and horse. He scrambled to his feet and ran
furiously at the Confederate with raised gun.
The sergeant fired wildly at him, when Boil
ton struck the animal violent blow across
the head. 1t recoiled, slipped and in another
instant had fallen over the side of the road
and crushed his rider on the rocks below
Five of the wagon guard, who were riding
ahead Of the wagon, galloped forward at the
sound of the SLOTS. Former, Edwards AND
Harry Glen fired into these and three saddles
were emptied. The remaining two men